Customarily such holders are in the form of ribbon cassettes. In the case where the ribbon cassettes contain a ribbon which is only used once, they are normally discarded. Simultaneously the ribbon guidance, tensioning and drive elements contained in the ribbon cassette are also discarded. This means that on the one hand a considerable effort is expended in the manufacture of ribbon cassettes in connection with their manufacture and installation and, on the other, many parts must be discarded. This is uneconomical and does not correspond to the requirements for environmental conservation.
It is known from German Pat. No. 24 05 099 to provide a holder which makes the insertion of the ribbon with its spools into a receptacle of the machine easier. Manipulation of this holder requires a certain degree of skill which must first be acquired by the operator. Furthermore, the holder consists of several parts and is itself a comparatively complicated element.